Grab

ABSTRACT

GRAB CONTAINERS SUPPORTING BYPASS ROLLERS OF THE CONTROLLING CABLE FROM AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 90* WITH RESPECT TO THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE SIDE PLATES.   A GRAB HAVING A CARRIER WITH TWO MUTUALLY PIVOTED CONTAINERS. THE SIDE PLATES OF THE CONTAINERS ARE ELONGATED BEYOND THEIR FULCURM AND MEANS ARE PROVIDED AT THEIR ENDS FOR LEADING THE CONTROLLING CABLE FOR CABLES. THE SIDE PLATES ARE ALMOST IN A DIRECT LINE WITH THE CLOSING EDGES OF THE GRAB CONTAINERS AND BEYOND THE FULCRUM ARE STAGGERED SO THAT THEY MAY PASS EACH OTHER. THE ENDS OF THE SIDE PLATES SUPPORTING THE ROLLERS FOR LEADING THE CONTROLLING CABLE WHEN IN OPENED POSITION OF THE GRAB ARE ALMOST IN THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE AS THE PIVOT OF THE GRAB CONTAINERS. THE ENDS OF THE SIDE PLATES OF ONE OF THE

Feb. 13, 1973 L. VAN HUU-KSLOOT 3,716,265

GRAB

' Original Filed May 23, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ WWW

INVENTOR.

MJgMaZ- W Original Filed May 23. 1967 GRAB 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BYW

Feb. 13, 1973 v L. VAN HUUKSLOOT ,7

Feb. 13, 1973 L. VAN HUUKSLOOT 3,716,265

GRAB

Original Filed May 23, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR B JMM A M W United States Patent US. Cl. 294--70 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A grab having a carrier with two mutually pivoted containers. The side plates of the containers are elongated beyond their fulcrum and means are provided at their ends for leading the controlling cable or cables. The side plates are almost in a direct line with the closing edges of the grab containers and beyond the fulcrum are staggered so that they may pass each other. The ends of t e side plates supporting the rollers for leading the controlling cable when in opened position of the grab are almost in the same horizontal plane as the pivot of t e grab containers. The ends of the side plates of one of t e grab containers supporting bypass rollers of the controlling cable form an angle of about 90 with respect to the remaining portion of the side plates.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 640,-63L, filed May '23, 1967, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a grab comprising two mutually pivotal cisterns, secured in a carrier, the side plates of said container being elongated beyond their fulcrum and means being provided at their ends for leading round dr tying up the controlling cables. A grab of this type s already known. l

The object of the invention is to improve a grab so that a much simpler and more compact construction is possible, especially as far as the controlling mechanism is concerned. l

According to the invention this is achieved in that the side plates are almost in a direct line with the closing edges of the grab containers and, beyond the fulcrum, are so staggerdly designed that they are capable of passing each other, whereas the ends of the side plates, supporting the rollers for leading the controlling cables round, in the opened position of the grab, are almost in the same horizontal plane as the pivot of the grab cisterns or containers. So a construction is obtained in which the controlling mechanism in the opened position of the grab is disposed practically completely within the space encompassed by the grab containers. A further advantage of this construction is that the closing force has reached its maximum at the end of the closing movement. Finally a very favourable rate of weightzcontent is obtained comparable with that of a so-called Trem-grab.

A preferential embodiment for constructing the controlling mechanism within an as much confined space as possible is obtained as the ends of the side plates of one of the grab containers, said ends supporting the by-pass rollers of the controlling cable, form an angle of about 90 degrees with respect to the remaining portion of said side plates. So the axles of the by-pass rollers are capable of being positioned as nearly to the fulcrum of the side plates of the grab container as possible which results in a favourable closing characteristic of the grab which latter on the other hand has the great advantage of being able to be widely opened.

The invention will now be further explained in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

"ice

FIG. 1 shows very schematically a side view of a grab according to the invention in closed position;

FIG. 2 the grab in its opened position;

FIG. 3 perspectively, the left portion of the grab of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively and FIG. 4 perspectively, its right portion.

In the drawing, 1 represents a portion of the carrier construction of the grab which at point 2 is hung to one or more lifting cables. 3 is a lever arm which at 4 is pivotally secured to the carrier 1. As appears from FIGS. 3 and 4 the portions 1 and 3 of the grab are provided in pairs.

5 represents a side of the grab container or cistern, said side being hingedly secured to the carrier 1 at 6. 7 is the side of the other grab container, said side being hingedly secured to the arm 3 of 8. 9 represents the pivot axle on which the grab containers 5 and 7 are wpable of swinging or rotating. The side 7 of one grab container is elongated with a side plate 10 the end 11 of which beyond the fulcrum 9 is staggerdly designed, i.e. the portion 11 is not disposed in the same plane, therefore not in a direct line with the portion 10 of the side plate. Moreover portion 11 is placed at an angle with respect to the portion 10 of the side plate, said angle being about Each side 5 of the other grab container is lengthened by a side plate 12 which side plate 12 is also staggerdly designed beyond the pivot 9. This appears from FIG. 3. 13 illustrates one of the controlling cables which is led over the discs 14 and 15 which cables are finally secured at point 16-. By exerting a tensile force upon the cables 13 the grab containers 5 and 7 may be closed. As also appears from the drawing the side plates 10 and 12 are secured to the grab containers in question near their closing edges.

17 is a roller or disc the purpose of which is to keep the controlling cables 13 free from the pivot axle 9 during the opening and closing of the grab, by which wear of the cables 13 may be prevented. FIG. 3 shows how the left portion of the grab is designed. The side plates 12 are provided with bores 18 through which the pivot axle 9 extends. The ends 23 of the side plate are staggered with respect to the remaining portion 12 of the side plates, which ends 23 are connected by a bar 19. Further a bar 20 is provided, supports 21 being disposed between the bars 19 and 20. These carriers comprise axles for the bypass rollers 15 for the controlling cable 13. The roller 17 the purpose of which as already observed is to keep the controlling cables 13 free from the pivot axle 9 is freely rotatably supported on a shaft secured between the ends 23-.

At the top of the carrier construction by-pass discs 22 are provided for the controlling cables 13.

The design of the right portion of the grab will appear from FIG. 4. It is clearly shown that the ends of the side plates are staggered with respect to the remaining portions of the side plates whereas moreover the ends 11 have been bent at an angle of about 90. Bores 23 are provided in the side plates 10 for introducing the pivot axle 9, a shaft 26 being disposed in the ends 11, said shaft supporting carriers 27, which carriers comprise the axles of the by-pass rollers 14. Finally also the ends of the controlling cables 13 are secured to the carriers 27. They may be attached to small axles disposed between the supporting plates 27.

In the position illustrated in FIG. "1 the grab is closed, the controlling cables 13 passing over the discs 22, 14 and 15 in the way indicated. The entire controlling mechanism however is disposed within the contour of the grab. Now the grab, which in the position illustrated, may be filled with the material to be conveyed, may be transported 'with the help of lifting cables secured at point 2 and the controlling cables 13.

By veering out the controlling cables 13 the grab is opened, producing the situation pictured at FIG. 2. From said figure it appears that the grab containers are widely opened, allowing the material (see FIG. 4) present on the bottom 24- to easily slide dovmwards by its own weight. In their open position shown in FIG. 2 the ends of the side plates of the grab containers, which ends support the by-pass discs 14 and 15, are at about the same height, i.e. the axles of the by-pass. discs 14 and 15 are substantially positioned in the same horizontal plane as the pivot axle 9. Also in this case the entire controlling mechanism is disposed within the space encompassed by the grab containers 5 and 7. So a robust and compact construction is possible by which a very favourable rate of weightzcapacity for the grab is obtained.

Obviously from a constructive point of view also any other embodiment, different from that shown in the drawings, is possible. Since the ends of the side plates may closely approach the bottom of the grab containers, it is possible to attach to them a scraper which e.g. may scrape sticky material from the bottom as the grab opens.

I claim:

it. A grab comprising a carrier, two mutually pivotal containers secured to said carrier, each of said containers having side plates elongated beyond their fulcrum, the ends of said side plates of one of said containers extending at an angle of substantially from the remaining portion of said side plates,,said ends of said side plates of said one container extending substantially downwardly when said containers are in the opened position, rollers mounted at the ends of said side plates for guiding a controlling cable, said side plates being substantially in a direct line with the closing edges of said containers, said side plates having portions beyond said fulcrum stag-" References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1884 Miller et a1 214-656 9/1914 Miller 214-656 X E vON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner J. D. CHERRY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

